Friend or Foe
by WrathWings
Summary: Damon bothers Alaric. Possibly crack, possibly not. Slash now! if this squicks don't read. Also the rating has gone up to T because I'm paranoid. The new chapter is rated M. Sex now.
1. Chapter 1

A Damon/Alaric friendship fic. Because damn it, they're awesome and they need to be BFFs. Enjoy!

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Damon and Alaric are _**not**_ friends. Not even close. Damon turned the guy's wife into a vampire and tried to kill the teacher and Alaric tried to kill him and then they rescued Stefan together and the whole mess was not the healthiest definition of friendship.

Besides, Damon doesn't have _**friends**_. He has . . .minions. And accomplices. Not friends. Mainly, because calling something a friendship would imply caring about the other person and he does not care about Alaric. No way.

He doesn't find the teacher amusing in any way shape or form; he doesn't think having a frien- ally, ally, that's what he meant- who can kill stuff is super awesome and he doesn't think Alaric drunk is one of the most depressing things ever.

"Hello, Damon." Alaric's voice is smooth; he has a glass in his hand and he's looking at Damon like he's suprised to see him.

So why is he here at Alaric's place?

"Alaric." Damon stops at the door and smiles. "Can I come in?"

"I think we already did this part." Alaric abandons the doorway and drops back down onto the couch; Damon follows, closing the door behind him. "So what is it now? Are there more vampires in town? More leads on Isobel?"

"Nope." Damon flops down onto an open chair and Alaric pauses, the glass-bourbon if Damon's nose is right-halfway to his lips.

"So why are you here?" He doesn't sound irritated, just confused.

"What, we can't hang out when we're not killing things?" Damon smiles and reaches for the bottle.

"Damon, if you're playing some sort of game-" The warning note in Alaric's voice would be scary to anyone that wasn't Damon.

"Relax. Stefan and Elena are monopolizing the house and the bartender thinks that I'm trying to kill myself with alcohol so. . ." Damon trails off as he pours himself a glass.

"So you thought you would just bother me for a few hours?" Alaric sighs and leans back.

"More like the day." Damon gives the teacher his most charming smile and the man quickly gulps down the rest of his drink.

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't going to end well?"

Damon is bored out of his mind. There's nothing on TV and Alaric is sitting there grading papers (the vampire makes a mental note to tell the school board that Alaric's drunk when he grades, but then he mentally scratches it out).

Alaric's in the middle of the 40th essay when he feels a spitball hit his cheek. For a moment, he doesn't move, just trying to reel himself in or he'll end up choking Damon and the vampire will think it's hilarious.

"Is there something you **need**, Damon?" Alaric thought company, even Damon's, would be nice, but he's regretting his decision not to throw Damon out.

"Entertainment. You're a terrible host." Damon finishes his glass and that's the last of his bourbon. What an asshole.

"I'm sure there are other places that you'll find more interesting." The teacher looks back down to finish reading what might be the worst written paper on the planet when the second spitball hits his forehead.

"Great! Let's go!" Damon stands and heads towards the door, a spring in his step, but he stops when he notices Alaric hasn't moved an inch save for his jaw dropping. "Are we going or not?"

"Are you drunk?" That's the only explanation.

"Vampires can't get drunk." Damon just gives him this 'duh' look.

"Then _**why**_ did you drink all my bourbon?" Counting to ten works. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7-

"To save you from yourself." That's it.

Alaric tosses his papers aside and _**pounces **_on Damon, sending them both spiralling to the floor. Damon grunts and hits the floor with a thud and promptly rolls them over; there's another noise, but they both ignore it as they start screaming at each other.

"That was a $150 bottle, you dick!" They're still rolling, knocking into furniture and sending the empty bourbon bottle to the floor.

"You were robbed; it wasn't even that good!" Alaric's going to kill him.

"Oh my god!" They stop and look up towards the door; Stefan and Elena are just standing there, looking shocked. "What's going on?"

Damon and Alaric jump to their feet. "He drank my best bottle of bourbon!"

"He-" Damon pauses. "He's boring!"

"Damon, why are you even here?" Stefan's trying to keep a straight face, but it's not really working; his eyebrow and upper lip are twitching.

"You two took over the house and the bartender wouldn't let me in!" Alaric's abandoned the conversation, too busy looking around the living room, which was been destroyed. "I don't even know why he's mad! It's just some bourbon!"

"That was for my anniversary!" The apartment goes silent. "Isobel and I were going to celebrate and I bought the stupid bottle and-" Alaric sinks back onto the couch, looking defeated.

Stefan and Elena pull Damon out and leave Alaric alone in the cluttered mess of his home.

Damon doesn't feel guilty. It was just a stupid bottle. It was just a stupid bottle owned by some stupid man who isn't his friend. Damon growls in frustration. This entire situation is ridiculous and the only way he's ever going to get some control over himself is to finish his plan and get this over with.

"Where are you going?" Elena passes him as he's heading out the door, but he doesn't answer, just waves, and she watches him go with a confused look on her face.

It's been four days. Damon's had to look and search, but he found what he was looking for. But not because he feels guilty. It's just because Damon knows Alaric won't let him in without it.

When Alaric answers this time, there's no glass. His clothes are messy and wrinkled and it looks as though he hasn't gotten any sleep.

"Can I come in?" Damon holds out the bottle of bourbon, making sure there's no apologetic look on his face. Because he doesn't feel guilty.

Alaric looks between Damon's face and the bottle and snorts, opening the door to let Damon in.

"You didn't need to bring that." They settle into their usual spots, Alaric on the couch and Damon in the chair with the bottle on the table. Alaric takes a deep breath. "It was just a stupid bottle."

"This isn't an apology. This is just a stupid bottle, too." The vampire smirks and puts his feet up. The teacher scowls and pushes the feet off the coffee table. "It's more of a peace offering than anything else."

Alaric nods, holding back a smile. Damon frowns.

Fuck.

Maybe they are friends.

* * *

I may continue this. I may not. But if I do, would you prefer me to keep it friendship or should I make it slash?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2! YAY! Um, this is now evolved into slash as demanded by my many adoring fans (can you sense the sarcasm?). I might be writing another story which will be Damon and Alaric friendship only. I'm not sure though. It depends on reviews. Yay or nay?

* * *

Alaric begins to notice something. On the weekdays, when he goes to the bar, Damon will be there. On the weekends, when they aren't killing vampires or hunting things, Damon will loiter at Alaric's, his feet on the coffee table and his hands all over the remote or the paper or anything Alaric tells him not to touch basically. The vampire will then pout at him and make a snarky comment before doing what Alaric had expressly forbid him to do and the teacher will sigh before giving up.

It's their routine and although Alaric will never admit it to himself, he likes it. Damon isn't the greatest company, but he's better than _American Idol _or _Dancing with the Stars _(which Damon watches) so the teacher begrudgingly lets him in. The whole thing is strange and Alaric would rather avoid naming it than trying to slap a label on it.

"Do you want to go out tonight?" Jenna is a wonderful woman, she really is, but unfortunately it's Wednesday and Damon's coming over to watch Idol.

"I can't." He doesn't elaborate because then he'd have to explain why- why **is **he skipping a date to hang out with Damon-

_**OH.**_

"I have to-" He's trying not to flail his arms like a madman as he tries to explain that he has to go burn his eyes and scrub his skin and hit his head against a wall.

Alaric walks away, ignoring her confused goodbye from the bar, and he's halfway out the door when Damon appears with a smirk. "Hey, Ric." The vampire is cocky and superior and Alaric needs to get away immediately.

"Damon." He tries to sidestep him, but Damon won't let him pass. "I have things to do, Damon, so-"

"No, you don't. I know you don't because it's Idol night." The vampire leans in and Alaric turns away.

"I have other plans tonight." It's a boldface lie, but he's hoping Damon won't notice.

"I know you're lying, Alaric." Does Damon's voice always sound like a purr when he says the teacher's name? "Your lips always twitch when you're lying."

"No, they don't." Absentmindedly, he rubs the corners of his mouth and then glares at him. "Will you move?!"

"Not until you tell me why you're lying." It's obviously amusing Damon to no end.

"Jenna asked me out so-"

"You told her no." Then, it seems as though a lightbulb goes off in Damon's head and his hand trails up the side of Alaric's right thigh; the teacher flinches and immediately looks around as his hand grabs Damon's.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but stop it right now!" It's a harsh whisper because they're still in public; anyone can see Alaric Saltzman being seduced by Damon Salvatore.

"I'm not doing anything wrong." That stupid cheeky grin; Alaric just wants to-

"We're in public, Damon; anyone could-" Is that why this bothers him?! Not because Damon ruined his wife, not because Damon's a vampire, not because Damon's evil, but the fact that they're in public?! "Get off of me."

"If anyone sees us, I'll just make them forget what they saw." Damon just keeps leaning in, invading his space and-

"OH." They turn to look and Jenna is right there looking horrified, disgusted and shocked; Alaric feels Damon squeeze his hand and he lets go or tries to. Damon's holding on and he rubs his thumb against Alaric's skin. "Oh, Alaric, I um. . ." She's obviously embarrassed.

"This is **not **what it looks like." Jenna's going to tell Elena, who's going to tell Bonnie, who's going to tell Caroline and then everyone might as well know and if everyone knows, then all his dignity might as well just vaporize and-

"You didn't see us. You're going to go home, make egg salad and enjoy the night at home okay?" Damon has moved forward and is staring into Jenna's eyes; _he's compelling her _Alaric realizes and he's so relieved that he's tempted to cry.

"Alright." She walks away, hypnotized, and Damon turns back to him with a smirk.

"I could kiss you right now." Alaric regrets the words as soon as he says them; Damon's eyes darken, but the smoldering look he gives the teacher is quickly replaced with amusement.

"Don't tease me." The tone is light, but Alaric knows when Damon's being serious and trying to hide it (God, how does he know that?); he doesn't miss the step forward or the licking of Damon's lips.

Alaric spins and heads for the exit; he can feel the vampire following and so he does the only thing he can think of. "Why egg salad?"

He feels Damon's jacket brush his hip and Damon's fingertips on his thigh. "Elena hates it."

Despite himself, Alaric smiles and climbs into the passenger seat. Damon's at the wheel and even though having a homocidal vampire at the helm might not seem like the brightest of ideas, Alaric feel safe because. . .

Because he knows what liquor Damon likes best. He knows what Damon prefers to watch on any given night; Alaric knows things about Damon not even Stefan knows and at times it almost scares him. There's an intimacy between Alaric and Damon that he had only once before and that was with Isobel.

The only thing Alaric doesn't know how to deal with is their tortured history. They never exactly got along before and now what? They're friends? They're -

Not moving. Alaric turns in his seat and Damon is close, is staring at him like he's hungry, but he looks normal and Alaric is-

"You shouldn't tease people, Alaric." Damon yanks him into his lap and presses their lips together; the teacher is too suprised to stop Damon's hand from sliding underneath his shirt to touch bare skin.

He will never admit to whimpering, but Damon nips at his lower lip and a sound even more embarrassing than a whimper, a moan, a goddamn moan, slips from him and Alaric is turning red. The vampire is rolling his hips up and the friction is fantastic right where the teacher needs it. The roof of the car makes moving difficult, but Alaric is pleased to note that rolling his hips down causes no problems save for Damon tugging at his hair and exposing the line of his throat-

Alaric shoves at Damon's chest and manages to push himself away; he bumps the car horn and the sound stops Damon in mid motion, leaning forward to kiss him again. Damon's true face is staring up at him and Alaric's heart is pounding. The vampire must hear it, must want to taste his jugular, but no one is moving and how did it get this far?

* * *

The car ride home is silent. Alaric is staring out the window at the full moon caught in the trees and Damon is concentrating on the road although Alaric has caught him glancing over. This situation has gotten too out of hand.

They pull up to Alaric's place and before he can climb out of the car, Damon catches his wrist and the teacher watches in fascination as he kisses the pulse point, staring him in the eye.

"It's not the vampire in me you need to worry about, Alaric." _It's the man._

He drops Alaric's wrist and the man heads inside, leaving Damon alone in the car with no one to blame but himself.

* * *

If you couldn't tell, Damon's last line is kind of a homage to Angel's quote from_ Buffy: The Vampire Slayer _when he runs off to kill himself in the episode _Amends._

**Angel:** Look, I'm weak. I've never been anything else. _It's not the demon in me that needs killing, Buffy. It's the man._


	3. Chapter 3

THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M FOR MATURE. So yes there is sex. Not too graphic, but still there. Angst and fluff follow the linebreak so beware.

* * *

They have sex after Isobel disappears. Damon's feeling angry and destructive and Alaric's feeling needy and rejected.

Originally, it begins with alcohol. **Lots** of alcohol on Alaric's part as Damon watches and listens, sipping his own drink. They're sitting in his apartment, one single light highlighting Damon's pale face. The two men are on the couch, facing each other.

The teacher is rambling, going on and on about how Isobel didn't seem like her anymore, about how he could be so stupid and naive. The vampire is unusually quiet and somber during this time, moving and speaking very little, no sarcastic quips or sneers.

Alaric calls himself worthless and that's when Damon kisses him. It's nothing like last time; last time had been all teeth and bruises in the car, but this-

This is foreign. This is soft and gentle like Damon knows if he pushes too hard, the man might shatter under the force of it. A hand cups the back of his neck and Alaric's eyes are still open, observing the vampire's face, his lips unmoving.

"What about Elena?" Alaric asks, his lips brushing Damon's with each word.

"What about her?" He doesn't know what to look for on his companion's face.

"I know you're-" There's another kiss and for a moment, Alaric forgets what he was asking. "I thought you-" A hand is sliding up his thigh, but this is important and he needs to know. "You're in love with her?"

"I'm not." Damon pulls away, both of his hands staying in place. "I'm not stupid enough to get involved with that love triangle twice."

"Being in love has nothing to do with how smart you are." Alaric knows this from experience; even seeing Isobel brought up every ounce of love and heartache he thought he'd buried.

And Damon just looks at him, looks at him and there's a flash of something in his eyes and Alaric almost pulls away in surprise. "Don't I know it."

And then Damon kisses him, a little rougher this time, his tongue dragging across Alaric's lower lip, and the teacher's lips part. It's deja vu, last week all over again; Damon pulls Alaric into his lap and the human's too buzzed to really protest.

His hands slip beneath Damon's shirt, feeling muscle and smooth skin as Damon's own hands cup his head, making sure Alaric can't escape _because everyone he's ever loved always leaves; please don't leave._

They're both broken, hearts torn and left to shreds, so damaged and mentally fucked up that they can never hope for a normal relationship again. Their hearts aren't whole anymore; the pieces have to be jammed together like pieces of a jigsaw that don't quite work, but _**this-**_

This is the closest either will ever get to a healthy relationship.

Suddenly, he's being lifted; his legs wrap around Damon's waist instinctively and the vampire's arms are holding him like a vice (a grip of both iron and sin; Alaric's mind whispers drunkenly), but he shushes it. He doesn't want to think anymore; he just wants Damon to keep kissing him.

Luckily for him, Damon had no intention of stopping.

They drop down onto the bed and Alaric stops thinking when Damon strips off their clothes; he stops worrying about what this means for them when Damon's teeth drag down his stomach.

It turns out that sex with Damon does wonders for the whole not thinking thing. Alaric can't seem to concentrate when the vampire is stroking him or parting his thighs or pushing into him; there Is pain but there Is pleasure and when Damon's fully seated inside him with the teacher clutching the sheets, Alaric realizes that he's not wearing his ring.

He's completely at the vampire's mercy in every way, shape and form and neither seems to care or at least Alaric doesn't, not when Damon moves and makes him see stars or when he rocks back just right and Damon growls.

_They both pretend not to hear what Damon says after sex, when Alaric is half asleep, pulled to the vampire's chest. He says things about Alaric not being worthless as he runs his fingers through the teacher's hair and Alaric's so overwhelmed with the guilty, sated feeling in his chest and the soothing feeling of Damon's fingers brushing his scalp that he can't say anythin back like 'thank you' or 'you're wrong' or 'get out'._

_All he can do is scoot closer; Damon's hand at his waist tenses when Alaric's fits over it, but then, it relaxes and Alaric will miss this._

_**Because nothing lasts forever.**_

* * *

Before Alaric even opens his eyes, he knows Damon won't be there. Damon isn't the morning after type of guy and Alaric respects that. This was a casual fling, a moment of weakness on both their parts (although he doesn't know what caused Damon's) and so he won't blame the vampire for not staying.

The teacher opens his eyes and then blinks. Once. And then twice. Because Damon is sitting in his chair, flipping through what appears to be Alaric's high school year book.

"I cannot believe you of all people had a mullet." Damon looks up and smirks, his eyes full of mirth.

"You're still here?" It doesn't come out the way he wants it to; it's blunt and completely rude, but he just woke up and Damon's still here.

"I was hoping for round two." The vampire sets the book aside and leans in, but pauses, examining Alaric's face. "After of course, breakfast and a hot shower."

Alaric looks at him. Just looks and takes it all in. Damon's eyes are watching his every move. This should be a one time thing. He's going to cut off contact and tell Damon 'no, thank you' and move on with his life.

But Damon always messes up his thought process and somehow no is replaced with this:

"That sounds great."

But Damon kisses him, morning breath and all, and breakfast will have to wait because Alaric is pulling him into bed and everything is perfect.

_**And forever is overrated anyway.**_

* * *

How'd you like it?


	4. Chapter 4

This went in a totally different direction than what I had planned. Not much Damon in this chapter.

WARNING: You could probably read this part as unrequited!Tyler/Alaric or Tyler/Alaric preslash. I had no intention of pairing them together when I wrote this and somehow it got away from me.

* * *

Alaric is a moron. A stupid, naive, _too_ trusting **moron **and he has no one to blame but himself. He had promised himself when this. . .fling started that **he wouldn't get attached**. Damon and he were casual lovers and that's it. And what does he do? He falls in love. He'd fallen in love with Damon Salvatore, heart breaker extraordinaire.

He'd been going to Elena's house to check on Elena and Stefan and he'd seen it.

The kiss.

He didn't even get out of his car. He'd been frozen in place, totally shocked and when he regained control of himself, he'd driven away, determined to get home before he broke down. He made it halfway before he had to pull over, before he stopped the car and pressed his face into his hands.

Alaric feels like a fool. How had he not seen the truth? Of course, Damon would be in love with Elena. She's young, untarnished and beautiful, not some middle-aged high school teacher with a vampiric ex-wife and a drinking problem. Plus, it must help that she looks exactly like Katherine. Bitterly, the teacher wonders if Damon will whisper things to her in the dead of night when she can't sleep, things about love and eternity and how much she means to him.

He lowers his hands back to the wheel and leans his head back against the seat. He can't do this right now. He needs to go hom-

There's a knock on the window and Alaric jerks his head to the left, looking out at Tyler. He rolls down the window as he hastily wipes his eyes.

"Tyler, what are you doing out?" His student looks dejected and lost and Alaric is immediately concerned.

"My dad's dead." It sounds so cold, so detached, like Tyler's repeated it so many times he's not even listening to himself. Alaric climbs out of the car, unsure of what to say or what to do, but Tyler keeps talking. "I just- I don't want to go home, you know? Everywhere I look, he's there and-"

Alaric knows that Tyler's a strong kid, mentally and physically, but he's breaking down; Vicki's gone and now his father's gone.

"Can I drop you off somewhere? Matt's house?" Tyler laughs bitterly.

"Matt and I aren't there yet. I messed up; I always fucking mess up." He sinks to the ground, his hands cupped around the back of his head.

"Hey." Alaric follows him down and pulls him into a loose hug. "Everyone messes up. Everyone fucks up, Tyler."

"Not like me." Tyler wraps his arms around Alaric's back. "Never like me."

They sit there like that by the road in an awkward hug for a while, Tyler just calming down and Alaric focusing on someone other than himself. It's nice for the moment and then, Alaric spots Damon stalking towards them.

Tyler can feel him tensing and they pull apart, standing up as Damon reaches them.

"How cute." He's seething with rage and jealousy and Alaric keeps thinking _You lied to me, you told me I meant something, ! _"Having a moment, are we?" He's sneering at the teacher, totally ignoring Tyler.

Who's looking between Damon and Alaric like he's seeing something new, looking beneath the skin to see the bruises Damon's painted on him, like he can smell them on each other.

"We need to talk." Damon steps forward and Alaric wants to hit him.

"No, we don't." He refrains though, tells himself that he doesn't need Tyler spreading it around school, but it's really because he knows it's a fight he can't win; it's a fight Alaric's already lost because he fell in love.

The look in the teacher's eyes makes Damon pause. But when Damon doesn't back up, Tyler steps between them, narrowing his eyes at the vampire. There's tension there now and Alaric **knows **that Tyler was raised to fight even if he doesn't know why and he knows that Damon would kill the kid just because he can.

"Tyler, we're going." Alaric's not going to sit here and watch the teenager destroy himself and he's definitely not going to watch Damon help.

"You're not going anywhere until you talk to me." Damon's acting like he's done nothing wrong and Alaric wants to kill him, wants to kill him and have him stay dead; he closes his eyes for just a moment and all hell breaks loose.

There's a growl and then flesh hitting metal and Alaric opens his eyes to find Tyler pinned against the car, snarling as Damon pushes him. It's like watching two predators fight for the carcass (which apparently is Alaric) and he's just surprised that Tyler's not wincing from Damon's strength; instead, the teenager just seems fueled by it and he shoves back at the vampire. What shocks Alaric even more is that Damon _moves_. He's sent back and Tyler charges forward, ready to attack again when Alaric grabs his arm.

"_**Enough**_!" Tyler turns, about to hit him, when he stops; Alaric swears that the boy's eyes are yellow, but when he looks again, they're brown.

Alaric and Tyler get into the car with no more protests from Damon, but the teacher sees the confusion and hurt in the vampire's eyes.

He still drives away because he knows Damon can see the hurt and betrayal in his.

"So you and Salvatore?" Tyler's voice is gruff and when Alaric glances over, his student is looking out the window and not at him.

"Is it that obvious?" He doesn't know why he doesn't try to deny it. Before he was gung ho about no one knowing and now . . . And now he can't seem to care.

"Not really. To be honest, I don't even know how I knew. I just-" Tyler pauses. "I just knew."

"Well, it's not a problem now." Alaric won't tie Damon down when the Salvatore really wants to be with someone else. He's not cruel.

"What he'd do?" It's immediate and he almost laughs.

"What makes you think it's his fault?" He's going back to his house, not even thinking about it.

"Screw ups tend to know each other." Tyler's back to self-loathing and Alaric's having none of that. "Damon and I are exactly the same."

"At least you learn from your mistakes. Damon keeps making the same ones over and over again." He wonders if Tyler realizes how fucked up Alaric is, falling for vampires every single time. "Sometimes I think Damon and I deserve each other." There's silence then as Alaric pulls up his driveway and parks the car. "I'm sorry. About your dad."

It's so terribly inadequate that the man wants to swallow the words back down, but Tyler just looks away. They climb out of the car and he unlocks the front door; he's about to push it open when Tyler grabs his wrist. The hairs on the back of Alaric's neck stand up and suddenly, he's all too aware of how close the teenager is and how those eyes are locked on his.

"You deserve better." The hand on his arm is hot, coaxing the blood beneath the skin to the boiling point, and the eyes (he could swear they look gold again, but Alaric's not sure of anything now) are trying to pull him apart, trying to delve into the teacher's soul.

"Tyler?" Alaric thinks that bringing the boy home might have been a terrible idea.

"Do you love him?" It's whispered, so sweet like poison from a devil''s tongue, and they're in public; anyone could see them pressed together (and is this the point Alaric's hit that he's not concerned with the actual act but with the possibility of getting caught?).

"Yes." It's the truth.

And Tyler has the gall, has the stones, to laugh bitterly, pulling away. "That was your first mistake." His eyes (and they're brown again; what is going on-) are cold and angry. "Never fall in love with someone like Damon."

Tyler pushes his way inside the house and Alaric is left on his front stoop. His keys slip from his hand and he doesn't even try to pick them up.

_"Damon and I are exactly the same."_

What has he gotten himself into?

* * *

Read and review please.

Also, side question: What do you think of Tyler/Alaric (in that order)? What are your favorite pairings?


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